Lamp-focusing mechanism



June 3"; 1930. R. N. FALGE 1,761,911

LAMP F-OCUSING MECHANISM Filed April 50, 1928 Patented June 3, 1930`UNI-'reo STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT N. EALGE, or nETRoI'Ig MICHIGAN,AssIGNoR To GENERAL MoToRs RE- SEARCH coREoRArIoN, or nE'IRoI'I,vMICHIGAN. A` CORPORATION 0E DELAWARE.

LAMP-FOGUSING MECHANISM Appiieation iedAprii 3o,

This invention'relates to a `device for adjusting vthe light rbulb in anautomobilel headlamp` so that it may be focused. My adjusting-.deviceis. especially adapted for use .with lheadlampsfV having a iioatingreflector andis so designed'that the adjusting mechanism and thereflector may be removed as a unit from the lamp; housing.V Itembodies anumber of novel details of construction` which will be pointedout in thecourse of the following description and covered in the appended claims.Among the novel Yfeatures are'the'provisio'n of a'singlevspring toyieldinglyA hold vthe reiiector in the housing,

thisspringalso preferably serving to maintain the lamp bulb in adjustedposition. v The adjusting .mechanismV is alsoVK designed so that thebulbfmay be focused with the coverA of the housing removed, and theadjustmentl will'not be disturbed upon the subsequent applicationof thecover.

In the drawings: y

:Figure `1 isa vertical section through a headlamp.y in which my`improved focusing 125 device vis embdiea.

rkFigure 2 is a View showing the parts of the vfocusing mechanism. y

Figure 3.is a view on line V3 3 of Figure 1.

10'indicates the lamp housing which may Y be ofvany desiredshape and ispro-vided at itsforward end with 1aA reduced portion 12 f to receive thelamp coveig'the reducedpori in thehousing for axial sliding movement.

Thereflector is guided by studs 18 threaded in the flange 14 of thehousing and 'slidably received in slots 20 formedk in Vtheouter edge ofthe reflector. The headsof the studs'y limit the outward movementof-'the reflector. The lamp coverconsists ofa lens ring 22 equipped'withlens 23 and adapted to be secured over the openlend of the housing bymeans` of a clamping ringk 24. The clamp- V ing ring andthecof-operating` flange 12 on the casing vare vprovided with inclinedsurfaces as shown so that the effect of tightening kup the clamping ringby manipulation of the clamping bolt 26is to force thel lens ring towardthe housing and at the same 1928. Serial No. 274,077.

time through the lens 23 and gasket 28, applying pressure to thereflector urging it inwardly. This movement ofthe reflector is resistedby yielding means to be later described. This type of reflector mountingis referred to as floating since the reflector may adjust itself to thehousing. The manner of securing the lens ring tothe housing andthemanner of mounting the reflector in the housing form no part oftheresent invention, except insofar vas these e ements cooperate with theparts laterdescribed.

30 indicates a guide secured tothe reflector` and-within which the lampsocket 32 is slid'- ably received. `Within the socket is mounted thebulb 34 whichissupplied with. current thro-ugh conductor V36. yThe guide30 is notched` as shown at38 andthe socket 32 is provided with a keyholeslot 40 registering with the notch. A U-shaped member 42 is equipped atone end with a T-head 44 adapted to pass through the notch and slot whenaligned therewith and to be thereafter rotated through ninety degrees totheposition shown in Figure 1 preventing separation of the parts. TheT-headed portion 44 is provided with inclined surfaces 46 for engagingthe edges of a notch and isalso equipped with a spring 48 acting at onekend againstaplate 50 normally abutting against the top of the guide asshown in Figure 1. At the other end the springv 48 acts against disk 52which bears against shoulders`54 provided o-n the member 42. The effectof the spring 48 is to yieldingly urge the member 42 upwardly and causethe inclined surfaces`46`to wedge' in the slot 40 preventing accidentallshifting of the lamp socketr in its guide.V The other'end of theU-shaped member 421s threaded to receive the adjusting bolt 56`which. isslidably received in an aperture formed in the lamp housing. A coilspring 58 surrounds the bolt 56 and bears at one end against .disk60fslidably mounted on the bolt 56 and arranged to engagethe housing asshown. At the other sieV end the spring bears against the adjacent alongthe screw. Owing Vform of an'L-shaped member 62 secured at one'end tothe guide 8O and having the otherend upturned to engageV the end of thescrew. Y

The constructionoperates as follows: The

-stopv62 Vprevents bodily inwardfmovement of the adjusting'screw 56while the spring 58 VVyieldingly resists its bodily outward movement.Consequently the effect ot rotav tion of the screw will betdcausethelr'nem'-` ber 42 to travel in one direction or the other to its.connection with the lamp socket 32 throughl the IT-head la the socketVwill be drawn back 'andffortli'` housingwithi'n which vthe adjustingscrew! is received be badlyl outoiI linefthisfwill be taken'k care' ofby rocking ,adjustment olf the Y member` 144 and the"s'ocket,l without lthrowingthelamp outl of 'focu's'fas'wouldbel the case' were theconnection :a rigid one.y j

The spring 5 8 periormscjthe Vvadditional function of yieldingly`urgingr the reflector 16 outwardly of the housing'. j'lhe'springlpressure is applied to thefreflector through the screw 56, stopr62and'the sleeve 30. f

It has been found best to adjust thefrer flector with the lens removed'.'When' this is done the spring 58 forces the reflector to its outermostposition where. it .engages` ,the

heads of the studs 18. This movement of Ythe reflector carries the wholefocussing mechanism with it, includingthe member'.

i2Y andthe screw 56. However,the adjust,-y Yment Vof the bulb withlrespect-,to the rellector is not alteredvtheremoval of the'V cover "noryconversely4 is itfafllected,v by' the subsequent application ot` thecover. r This ispof kconsiderable advantage asl it enablesV` focussingto be done, under. themost desir- .able Cnditions, and yet assuresvlilla-fthe ad?, justinent willnot be disturbed upon'refassembling thecover ,c

Y It isalso of considerable 4tadvantafgevinta-is,A

, lsembling the vheadlai'nps tojhavefall ofi the parts of thefocussingmechanism'carried byv 1 the reflector. fThisls'ubl-as'sembly may, thenbe slipped `into the lamp housing, thecover applied, and thevlampis'then .ready for use;

` l claim:

A lamp including Ya housing,va reflector I. Y mounted in l*the housing,lforaxial sliding c movement, means vfor limiting the forward movement ofthe reflector, a lampsocket slid- Vably mounted in the relector,adjusting means for the socket comprising a screw slid-y ,y

ably mounted in the housing, means secured f 'i bodily movement ofthescrew in one Ydirection, means having threaded engagement di vwith they"screwv and universally y connected to the socket for adjusting/the*latte'1""backY` Vto Vthe reflector Vfor positively preventing j' v l:

and forth upon rotationof'tlie screw, and,k s' spring Vmeansengaging'said last named means and tliefhousing jor; urging there- Ynectrf'outwadiy anlximaintdiningsaid'i adjustingmeans 'inadjustedposition.A

2; The combination as defined in v,claim l,

said spring means comprising a coiled spring encircling'the screvv,r Y

Y 3.r A headlamp including ahousing,.a re

off the reflector,v a ylamp socket, ja .guide sel? cured inthereflector, and1 slidablyreceivlk ing the socket, a socketadjustin'gfniember having at one endv universal connection .with

thefsocketto "allowl :tor *misalignnientfofy parts,v an'adjustingscrew'vslidabfly, mounted nihe .housing aridhavnaoneigend eXpQSdjq Y, ,Y

,sie

at `the Ire'ar'thereof for manipulation', 4said,

screw havingthreaded,engagement with'ftlie L l adjusting v'membeigfsaid,'C'guide"lo'ein'gprovid#` Y f' Y ed 4with a Vired fabutmentarranged toen-AA ,Y 1 gage tlie .screw andV positively limit lits VtorLvwardlinovement, `and Va lspring encircling the" screw betweenthe'idhousing' and ,the Vad'- justingpmemberl and reacting l'at foney'end c j e eej flectorslidably mountedfjin the-f housing, Y f means forlimiting the 'iorw'ardy 'mov'enientv-V y against the 'housingand attbe,other 'end against" vthe i .socket 'adj Listing? ine'mber'i to Vholdy'the member yin adjusted pgosit'ionjon 'the 'L y, screw and yieldinglyurge therelector away 'i fromjthe housing."r l Y 4 Y u ,j/li'Aflainpincluding va housing, alreflector slidably mounted in the e'lioiising,4a` lampv socket, a guide secu'redfin the rellect'or slidablyreceivingthe socket, a; socket ad-l justing `member ,havin'g'juniversalconnection with the ysocket tofallowf'for misalignment of parts, anadjusting screw slidably mount- L" im c gagement with the radjustingmember'ysaidf 'f guide beingrprovi'ded'with'jaV'lired abutl j mentadapted t0Y ,engage the 1111er "end, 0f

edv in j thefhousing "and having vthreaded enthe screw,l 'and "a"krcoil` 'spring' -encircli'rigV the screw 'betweenfthe housingandjftheadjust- `i ,i v.ijngjineinber andreactingat one end' lagainst the'housing and at the',y other, .end against the socket ,Y adjustingvQineniberfto jiholdm the from'fthe'fcasing. v

` i testimony whereof 'I signatii

